Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Joe Robinson

Rosie Duffield: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Turkish counterpart on the imprisonment of Joe Robinson.

Sir Alan Duncan: We are doing all we can to support Mr Robinson. I have raised his case with my counterpart, and also raised it with the Turkish Foreign Minister when I visited last year. Mr Robinson has also had consular support since his arrest. Consular staff visited Mr Robinson while he was in detention, to check on his welfare and arranged prison visits for his mother. We have continued to offer Mr Robinson consular support since his conditional release in November.

Ukraine: Aviation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for the achievement of justice for the victims of flight MH17 of the alleged computer hacking by the Russian military of the investigation into that incident.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Thailand: Elections

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Government of Thailand on free and fair elections in that country.

Mark Field: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Thailand: Freedom of Association

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Government of Thailand on the freedom of assembly and association in that country.

Mark Field: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Education

Schools: Hate Crime

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department provides to (a) schools and (b local education authorities on dealing with race-related incidents and hate crime in schools.

Nick Gibb: Racism has no place in our schools and any incident is unacceptable. All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines measures to prevent all forms of bullying.The Department issues guidance to schools on how to prevent and tackle bullying. This was last updated in July 2017 and outlines the Government’s approach to bullying, the legal obligations and powers schools have, and the principles which underpin the most effective anti-bullying strategies in schools. It provides information on sources of support, including tackling bullying based on race, religion and nationality. This guidance can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.The Department has published a research report which details common strategies that schools have found to be effective in combating bullying, along with more detailed case studies showing practical measures taken by schools. The report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approaches-to-preventing-and-tackling-bullying.In January 2016, the Department launched the website www.educateagainsthate.com, jointly with the Home Office, to provide schools with practical advice on protecting children from extremism and radicalisation. The website highlights the main routes to report a hate crime and includes our guidance to schools on promoting the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs.The Department’s guidance is directed towards schools rather than on local authorities, therefore guidance is only issued for schools.

Arts: Primary Education

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the uptake of arts subjects in primary schools.

Nick Gibb: All pupils, whatever their background, should have a secure grounding in the arts and this is an essential part of a broad and balanced education. Music and art and design are statutory subjects in the National Curriculum for 5-14 year olds attending maintained schools. Academies and free schools can use the National Curriculum as a benchmark and are required to teach a broad and balanced curriculum.Funding for arts education is a Government priority and almost £500 million has been invested in arts and cultural education programmes over 2016-2020. This includes £300 million for music education hubs to ensure that all children have the opportunity to play and perform in choirs and ensembles. Hubs are required to provide affordable progression routes from whole class ensemble teaching, and many hubs provide instrument loans with discounted rates available where needed.There are many opportunities for pupils to participate in arts-based activities beyond the timetabled curriculum. Many schools provide extra-curricular arts activities for their pupils - for example choirs, orchestras, dance clubs, drama groups and film clubs. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Taking Part Survey indicated that, in 2016/17, 97% of children aged 5-10 had also engaged with the arts outside of school in the previous 12 months.

Religion: Education

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Commission on Religious Education's report entitled Religion and Worldviews: The Way Forward a national plan for RE, published in September 2018, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the recommendation in that report to rename the subject to religion and worldviews.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Commission on Religious Education's report entitled Religion and Worldviews: The Way Forward a national plan for RE, published in September 2018, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the conclusion in that report that all young people should have a statutory national entitlement to the study of religion and worldviews.

Nick Gibb: The Department welcomes the Commission for Religious Education’s report and will carefully consider the merits of the report’s recommendations, one of which is to rename the subject ‘religion and worldviews’. At present, religious education is compulsory for pupils in all age groups in state-funded schools. It has an important role in developing children’s knowledge of the values and traditions of Britain and other countries, and in fostering understanding among different faiths and cultures.

Treasury

Child Benefit

Laura Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have been affected by the introduction of the high income child benefit charge.

Laura Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to abolish the high income child benefit tax charge.

Elizabeth Truss: The High Income Child Benefit Charge came into force in January 2013 to help reduce the deficit and target support at those who need it most. It is a tax charge that applies to anyone with an adjusted net income over £50,000 who claims Child Benefit or whose partner claims it. The charge is tapered, increasing gradually for taxpayers with incomes between £50,000 and £60,000. For families where an individual has income over £60,000, the Child Benefit recipient can choose to either keep receiving Child Benefit payments and the highest earner pays the charge, or opt out of Child Benefit payments and not have to pay the charge. Around 1.1 million families are in scope of the charge, and over 0.5 million have opted out of receiving Child Benefit payments. The Government has no plans to abolish the High Income Child Benefit Charge, but keeps all policies under review.

Children: Day Care

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of whether low-income families will benefit more from childcare vouchers or tax-free childcare.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families have paid into a tax-free childcare account as at 11 September 2018.

Elizabeth Truss: I refer the Honourable Member to the answers I gave on 25 June 2018 and to the Honourable Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North (155282). I also refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 17 September 2018 to the Honourable Member for Barnsley East (173624).

Public Sector: Pensions

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 April 2018 to Question 135229 on public sector: pensions, how many Departments responsible for public service schemes have taken forward any necessary regulatory changes.

Elizabeth Truss: All Departments responsible for public service schemes are in the process of identifying members who will receive a change in entitlement, undertaking public consultations where necessary and then bringing forward the necessary regulatory changes.

Public Sector: Pensions

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 April 2018 to Question 135229 on public sector: pensions, whether there is a deadline to which Departments responsible for public service schemes must take forward any necessary regulatory changes.

Elizabeth Truss: HM Treasury will work with Departments responsible for public service schemes to ensure that scheme rules are changed to comply with the Walker vs Innospec judgment as soon as practicable.

Housing: Finance

Jonathan Edwards: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the announcement, PM to address the National Housing Federation Summit, made by the Prime Minister on 19 September 2018, whether Barnett Consequentials will apply to the £2 billion in additional funding.

Elizabeth Truss: The Barnett Formula will be applied in the usual way to these allocations as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.

Revenue and Customs: Training

Grahame Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance on benefits advice his Department provides to HMRC staff who deal with tax credit queries.

Elizabeth Truss: HMRC has a range of products to support our frontline Tax Credit staff, we have guidance publications, Tax Credit Manual and Tax Credits technical manual, which offer guidance on the handling of Tax Credit cases and the law relating to Tax Credits entitlement, changes in circumstances and how payments are made.

Extracurricular Activities: Finance

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will use underspending on tax-free childcare to fund out-of-school activities and holiday engagement programmes in disadvantaged areas.

Elizabeth Truss: This Government is committed to supporting families and we will be spending around £6 billion every year by 2020 on childcare support – more than ever before. A marketing campaign was launched in September to increase awareness and take-up of Tax-Free Childcare. Parents can use their Tax-Free Childcare account to pay for childcare at any Ofsted registered provider, including out of school activities and holiday clubs.

Banks: Scotland

Kirsty Blackman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has held with the Scottish Government on the establishment of the Scottish National Investment Bank.

Kirsty Blackman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what correspondence has there been between his Department and the Scottish Government on the establishment of a Scottish National Investment Bank.

Elizabeth Truss: Treasury ministers and officials have regular discussions with our counterparts in the Scottish Government on matters of importance to Scotland’s economy and the wider UK. Derek Mackay, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work in the Scottish Government, wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 1 May setting out plans for the Scottish National Investment Bank. Officials subsequently met to discuss the Scottish Government’s proposals.

EU Grants and Loans: Wales

Nick Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy to replicate the Structural Fund payments to Wales after the UK leaves the EU.

Elizabeth Truss: Under the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK will continue to participate in all 2014-2020 EU programmes until they close. In the unlikely event this agreement is not ratified, the government’s guarantee for EU-funded programmes will instead apply. In the longer term the government has committed to create a UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which we intend to consult on later this year. Following this consultation, decisions on future funding will be taken in the round at the 2019 Spending Review.

Exmoor National Park

Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has received representations from Exmoor National Park for additional funding to expand the National Park beyond it present boundaries.

Elizabeth Truss: National Parks represent some of England’s most important landscapes, protecting their exceptional natural beauty and cultural heritage. In 2017/18 they received a total grant allocation of more than £47 million, with Exmoor National Park in receipt of more than £3 million. Officials have searched HM Treasury’s records and advise that HM Treasury has not received representations from Exmoor National Park for additional funding to expand its present boundaries.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Social Rented Housing:  Mental Illness

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the social housing system provides adequate support for people with mental health problems.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the social housing system adequately supports people with mental health problems.

Paula Sherriff: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps is he taking to ensure that the social housing system supports people with mental health problems.

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to MIND's report entitled Brick by Brick: A Review of Mental Health and Housing, published in November 2017, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the social housing system supports people with mental health problems.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 176245 on 11 October 2018.

Social Rented Housing: Construction

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the announcement, Government announces new generation of council housing, published on 3 October 2018, what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to build adequate numbers of social housing.

Kit Malthouse: The Prime Minister announced on 3 October at the Conservative Party Conference that the caps on local authorities borrowing to fund the construction of new homes will be removed, enabling them to fund a new generation of council housing that meets the needs of local people. This ground breaking announcement will enable councils to build up to 10,000 homes per year in the short term, with potential to go even further over time.In addition, local authorities can bid alongside housing associations for the £9 billion Affordable Homes Programme to build affordable homes. We are also providing a longer term rent deal for 5 years from 2020 to provide local authorities with a stable investment environment to deliver new homes and we have consulted on options for allowing local authorities more flexibility in the use of their Right to Buy receipts, including extending the time limit for spending Right to Buy receipts from three years to five years for existing receipts.

Department for Work and Pensions

Carer's Allowance

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what data matching process the Government ensures that people in receipt of carers allowance do not exceed earning restrictions.

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much resource has been allocated to data matching between the DWP and HMRC to ensure those in receipt of Carers Allowance do not exceed the earning limit for that allowance, in each year since 2008.

Sarah Newton: Holding answer received on 11 October 2018



The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by informal carers who provide invaluable support for relatives, partners, friends and neighbours who may be ill, frail or disabled. DWP works to ensure claimants are aware of their responsibility to provide the correct information when making a benefit claim and to report any changes of circumstance which may affect their claim. Real Time Earnings Bulk Data Matching was first introduced in 2014. This gives DWP the ability to retrospectively cross reference actual earnings and pensions information with benefit awards (including Carers Allowance) to identify potential discrepancies for further investigation. In September 2018 DWP introduced the Verify Earnings and Pensions (VEP) system for use in Carers Allowance. The VEP service presents earnings and employment data to users, with an automated alerts service generating notifications of earnings or pensions related changes. This allows benefit awards to be updated far more quickly. The table below details the total number of staff employed by DWP from 2014-2018 working within fraud and error across all benefits administered by DWP. Some data matches may identify fraud/error impacting more than one benefit on a claim.  YearTotal number of Investigators and Compliance Officers (FTE)20142402.220152557.720162443.820171886.420182041.7

Carer's Allowance

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many prosecutions of carers for overpayments due to earning restrictions has his Department sought in each year since 2008.

Sarah Newton: Holding answer received on 11 October 2018



The Counter Fraud & Compliance Directorate (CFCD), part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the prevention, detection and, where appropriate, investigation of fraud and error against all benefits administered by and on behalf of DWP. DWP does not routinely publish prosecution statistics and the specific information requested is not available at a granular level. This could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Motability

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of personal independence payment were required to return their mobility vehicle prior to receiving a mandatory reconsideration decision; and how many of those claimants were re-awarded the enhanced rate of the mobility component as a result of that reconsideration decision in each of the last three years.

Sarah Newton: Holding answer received on 11 October 2018



The Department does not hold this information. While the Department works closely with Motability, it is an independent charitable organisation that is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Motability scheme. Where PIP claimants are no longer entitled to enhanced rate mobility; Motability’s current policy is to allow scheme vehicles to be retained by the claimant for eight weeks. If the original decision is later revised and the claimant’s enhanced rate mobility award is reinstated, the Department backdates any PIP payments to the claimant, and this is used to repay Motability where the claimant is still in possession of the vehicle.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Weedkillers: Licensing

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to review the licensing of glyphosate herbicides.

George Eustice: Herbicides can only be sold and used if their active substances (such as glyphosate) are approved at EU level and if the products are authorised nationally. Approval and authorisation are only granted if scientific risk assessments demonstrate that the intended use will not harm human health or have an unacceptable effect on the environment. Glyphosate was approved at EU level at the end of 2017. The UK supported this decision on the basis that the scientific assessment was satisfactory. As is required following a new or renewed approval, the UK regulator is currently reviewing the authorisations for all glyphosate products.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Living Wage

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in his Department that work (a) inside and (b) outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the Real Living Wage.

George Eustice: The Real Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation is a voluntary rate set each November and is currently £8.75 per hour. There are no staff who work (a) inside Greater London and (b) outside Greater London in Defra that are paid at a rate below the Real Living Wage.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Living Wage

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in his Department that work (a) inside and (b) outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the London Living Wage.

George Eustice: The London Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation is a voluntary rate set each November and is currently £10.20 per hour. The National Living wage is currently £7.83. There are no staff who work inside Greater London in Defra that are paid at a rate below the London Living Wage.There are 11 staff in the Department working outside of Greater London paid at a rate below the London Living wage as described by the Living Wage Foundation.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Working Hours

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the contracted hours are for the highest paid member of staff in his Department.

George Eustice: Senior Civil Servants (SCS) are contracted to work a minimum (over a 5 day week) of either 41 or 42 hours, including daily meal breaks for one hour. The new model contract was introduced on 1 July 2013, and standardised the working hours to 42 hours which was applicable to all new staff as well as those staff being promoted into or within SCS, from that date forward.The contracted hours of the highest paid member of staff in the Department is 42 hours per week.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff (a) are employed directly by (b) are seconded to and (c) work under contract to his Department.

George Eustice: The breakdown of staff in the department as at 31 July 2018 is shown in the following table:  Assignment CategoryHeadcountaDirectly Employed  (inc staff on Outward Secondment / Loan and Maternity / Special Leave)3711bInward Secondment / Loan155cContingent Workers  (Temporary Agency Workers, Consultants, Contractors and Interim Staff)483 Total4349

Spreading Bellflower: Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the conservation of the Spreading Bellflower.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Spreading bellflower is listed as a species of principal importance under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Actions underway include monitoring its populations and establishing appropriate habitat management at its known sites. As a part of the 25 Year Environment Plan, the Government is committed to creating or restoring 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, to complement and connect our best wildlife sites, as part of a Nature Recovery Network and provide opportunities for conservation of species such as spreading bellflower.

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of waste collection authorities that charge money in addition to council tax for the collection of garden or food waste.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Estimates by the Waste and Resources Action Programme show that 318 local authorities (97%) separately collected garden waste in 2017/18, and 193 (58%) charged for this service. Domestic food waste is considered household waste and local authorities are not able to charge directly for its collection, whether separately or mixed with garden waste.

Clothing: Waste Disposal

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on incidences of companies sending unsold clothes to (a) landfill and (b) incineration.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Department does not record the disposal of waste to this level of detail. The closest European Waste Code is ‘Textiles’, however this covers a wide range of wastes, not just unsold clothes.

Waste Disposal

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will direct the Environment Agency undertake an investigation of compliance with the Waste Hierarchy in relation to companies sending (a) unsold clothes and (b) other non-perishable goods to (i) landfill and (ii) incineration; and will he make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Environment Agency (EA) is the enforcement authority for the duty in relation to the waste hierarchy in England. The EA has the discretion to consider how best to enforce that duty, taking on board all relevant considerations. The Government considers that effective waste prevention requires other policy measures beyond enforcement of the priority order in the waste hierarchy. The forthcoming Resources and Waste Strategy aims to ensure that an enhanced set of measures will be in place to ensure resource productivity is optimised and environmental impact minimised in line with the waste hierarchy.

Waste Management

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the resources allocated to the Environment Agency to enforce (a) the Waste Hierarchy and (b) Part 5 and Regulation 25 of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: We regularly discuss with the Environment Agency (EA) the level of resources they need to carry out their functions. The majority of the EA's funding is provided by the Department. Most of the EA's grant-in-aid funding has already been approved for the current spending review period, 2016-17 to 2019-20. Funding for any current or future enforcement obligations will be assessed as part of the next spending review. Brokers and dealers of controlled waste pay a licence fee to the EA which is used to fund compliance of Regulation 25. Since 2014 we have allocated the EA an additional £60m for waste crime enforcement work up to 2022 - including £30m in last year’s November budget.

Incinerators: Health Hazards

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effect of emissions of oxides of nitrogen from waste incineration sites on the health of people living within (a) half a kilometre, (b) one kilometre and (c) two and a half kilometres of such sites.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: In order to operate a waste incineration plant, operators must obtain an environmental permit from the Environment Agency (EA). As part of the decision making process for new permits, the EA assesses the results of air quality modelling for a number of different pollutants, including oxides of nitrogen (NOx), to ensure that emissions will not have a significant impact on the environment or harm human health.The air quality modelling will predict the levels of NOx that can be expected as a result of the emissions under worst-case conditions, including at sensitive receptors such as houses or playing fields. These levels are known as the process contribution (PC) and the maximum PC can occur at a range of distances from the site, depending on the technical characteristics of the plant, the local topography and the local weather conditions.The EA will make an assessment of whether the maximum PC is acceptable, including by taking into account the existing levels of pollution in the area and comparing the total level of pollution with the relevant environmental standards. Because their decision is based on the maximum value, the impact of emissions at other locations where the PC will be less are automatically taken into account. There is therefore no need to do individual assessments of the effects of NOx at the distances specified in the question.

Air Pollution

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the wind speed required to disperse (a) PM 0.1, (b) PM 1 and (c) PM2.5 particles.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I refer the Hon. Member to the reply previously given on 20 April 2018, PQ UIN 135442.

Agriculture

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the balance between sustainability and productivity in UK farming.

George Eustice: Investment in productivity improvements should go hand in hand with improved environmental outcomes. We have published an Agriculture Bill that will allow farmers to continue providing a supply of healthy, home grown produce made to high environmental and animal welfare standards.

Horse Racing: Animal Welfare

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ask the British Horseracing Authority to publish the number of (a) reviews it has undertaken into equine mortality rates at racecourses since January 2013 and (b) the number of those reviews that are publicly available.

David Rutley: The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) provides annual statistics of the number of horse fatalities at racecourses, which are published on their website. These show that since 2013, the percentage of runners being killed at a racetrack has dropped steadily from 0.22% to 0.18% in 2017. In April, the BHA announced a review into the six racehorse fatalities at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. One of the objectives of the review is to demonstrate openness and transparency by publishing the review, which seeks to improve continuously. The review is scheduled to report in the autumn.

Food: Self-sufficiency

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to increase the level of self-sufficiency in UK food production.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of the UK's self-sufficiency in the production of food.

David Rutley: The UK’s current production to supply ratio is 60% for all food and 75% for indigenous-type foods. This has remained steady over the last decade and is not low in the context of the past 150 years. The UK has historically been a net importer of food and sources from a diverse range of stable countries and this will continue once we leave the EU. Self-sufficiency is not in itself an indicator of food security. Achieving increased self-sufficiency in indigenous products would not insulate us from shocks to the system – for example, weather and disease can affect the harvests and yields. Our aim is for a thriving and self-reliant agriculture sector. Our future agriculture policy contains several provisions to help food producers better engage with the market: these include measures to increase productivity and invest in new technology.

Horse Racing: Animal Welfare

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress the Government has made on the establishment of an independent horse welfare regulator for horse racing.

David Rutley: The Government has made no announcement about the establishment of an independent horse welfare regulator. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) works alongside animal welfare organisations, such as the RSPCA, and regularly reviews the safety of racetracks and, where necessary, makes improvements. The Government is satisfied that the BHA works to make horseracing as safe as possible

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a human trafficking-risk index to support a sustainable trade policy that removes modern-day slavery practices from global supply chains; and if he will make a statement.

George Hollingbery: We are looking at all options as we design the UK’s future trade policy. This includes possible labour protection provisions such as those that might support UK work with international partners and businesses to tackle modern slavery in global supply chains. The UK has long supported the promotion of our values globally, and we have been clear that more trade doesn’t have to come at the expense or exploitation of workers.

Department for International Trade: Staff

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many staff with expertise in negotiating trade agreements his Department has hired since it was created.

George Hollingbery: The Department for International Trade was created in July 2016.Since then, the Department’s Trade Policy Group has grown from around 45 staff to almost 600 staff today, bringing together trade policy and country specialists, as well as economic analysts, lawyers, research and statistical experts.